Composition and method to clean and decontaminate animal carcasses

ABSTRACT

Compositions and methods for cleaning and decontaminating animal carcasses are disclosed. The compositions comprise a mud ball remover having a thioglycolate salt and a base and an antimicrobial agent effective to remove mud balls and reduce microbial contamination of a hide surface at ambient temperatures. The methods comprise cleaning and decontaminating an animal carcass by applying the disclosed compositions onto the surface of the animal carcass to soften and loosen foreign debris attached to the carcass followed by mechanically removing the foreign debris while preserving the integrity and quality of the hide byproduct and resulting leather articles.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/580,586, filed Sep. 24, 2019, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/737,215, filed Sep. 27, 2018,the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to novel compositions andmethods for cleaning and decontaminating animal carcasses. Morespecifically, the invention relates to compositions and methods forremoving foreign materials and microorganisms including pathogens fromthe surface of animal carcasses while preserving the integrity andquality of the hides.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Animal products such as meats and hides are a universal commodity. In2017, for example, nearly one billion heads of cattle were reportedworldwide, with the United States having one of the most abundantquantities at nearly 94 million heads of cattle (see e.g., USDA, ForeignAgricultural Service, October, 2017; USDA, National AgricultureStatistic Services, January, 2017). In the meat packing and processingindustry (e.g., beef and pork), animals undergo a process where theanimals are stunned, bled, skinned, eviscerated, and fabricated intomeat sections that are packaged for public consumption or restauranttrade with the hides as byproducts. Prior to entering the meatprocessing facility, animals encounter various foreign materials thatadhere and entangle on their hair, including dirt, manure, mud, andplant material as well as microbial contamination. In addition to meatquality and contamination issues related to such foreign materials, mudballs often cause damage such as holes in the hide and destroy thisvaluable byproduct of the meat packing process. In particular, hardenedmanure and mud (e.g., adobe-type) attached to animal hair is a majorsource of meat contamination, hide quality deterioration, and devaluedleather products.

The mechanism of adobe-type mud ball formation, for example, is akin toa freeze-thaw process where the manure and/or mud accumulates on thehide hair and hardens as the temperature approaches freezing. As thecycle repeats, it creates hardened mud and/or manure that becomesexceedingly attached and entangled with the hide hair. Adobe-type mudballs often remain attached to the hair when the hides are delivered totanneries for processing. In a fleshing machine, dull blades scrape theside containing the hair and mud balls while sharper blades flesh theunderside. This process causes mechanical damage to the hide byforcefully removing the mud balls from the hair creating holes in thegrain. Manure balls can also burst through the hide after they arewedged between the blades and the hide. This results in unusable hidesor poor-quality leather products. Washing the hides mitigates some ofthese problems, but manure balls tend to remain strongly attached tohide hair. Other methods have also been used with limited success suchas soaking the hides in solutions of glycerol and sodium carbonate withor without surfactants, enzymatic formulations, and oxidative chemicalssuch as sodium percarbonate with or without an additional caustic agent(see e.g., Ramos, M. E., et al. (2012) JALCA, vol. 107:167-174; Marsico,R. M. & Liu, C. K. (2017) JALCA, vol. 112:88-93). Improving the removalof manure and mud balls from the hides will thus alleviate some of themajor problems traditionally associated with the cattle industry andmeat processing.

Generally, the interior portion of a carcass containing the meat issterile, but bacterial contamination occurs because of transfer fromhides onto the meat during the slaughter and the hide removal processes.The opportunity for microbial contamination of meat and byproductspresents itself upon the cutting open of an animal for disassembly,exposing the interior to microorganisms present in the ambientenvironment and on the surface of the carcass. The risk of microbialcontamination extends throughout the entire process, including finalfabrication of the animal into various sections of meat for commercialsale. In many cases, this bacterial contamination containsmicroorganisms that are pathogenic to humans. Enteric pathogenicbacteria, for example, on cattle surfaces serve as significant hazardand pose a substantial challenge to the meat industry as well as topublic health. Such pathogens may arise from environmental exposuresincluding from soil and manure during the lifespan of cattle, which maybecome firmly lodged onto their hides and hair and thus limits cleaningand decontamination efficacy. Therefore, incomplete decontamination ofcarcasses prior to hide removal serves as a prime source of pathogentransfer to meat during slaughter house processing that leads tonumerous public health risks and substantial economic loss. Previousstudies revealed that meat contamination with pathogens is stronglycorrelated to hide contamination.

Fecal and plant material (sometimes referred to generally as mud ballsor manure balls) associated with hide surfaces serves as a prime sourceof microbial carcass contamination during animal slaughter and meatprocessing. Washing with water alone, for example, has limitedeffectiveness to remove foreign materials and decontaminate the surfaceof the hide because it cannot reach under mud balls which commonlyapproach and surpass the size of tennis balls. Therefore, it isimportant to remove mud balls to decrease bacterial contamination onanimal carcasses prior to hide removal to reduce the risk of humanexposure to these microorganisms. Mechanical removal methods such asshaving are inefficient, cumbersome, and inadequate to fully remove theforeign materials and contamination. Survival of harbored bacteria canalso facilitate cross-contamination of the underlying meat and meatprocessing equipment. Cleaning with water or washing formulations whichare currently standard in the industry has shown to have minimal effectson bacterial populations and associated cross-contamination. Researchdata reveals thoroughly removing external debris from the haired surfaceof hides significantly reduces bacterial populations including pathogenspresent in slaughter facilities.

There thus exists an ongoing industrial need to develop improvedcompositions and methods for efficiently cleaning foreign materialsincluding pathogens from animal carcass surfaces. A particular needexists for the removal of manure balls from animal hides as well asdecontamination of animal carcasses to improve meat safety and preventcross-contamination in meat packing facilities as well as to lower thelikelihood of damage of hides delivered to tanners for leatherprocessing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention accordingly provides novel compositions andmethods for effectively and efficiently removing foreign materials anddebris from animal carcasses in a commercially preferred timeframe aswell as reducing microbial contamination in meat packing and processingfacilities. The disclosed compositions and methods are surprisinglyeffective in cleaning animal hides to remove externally attached foreignmaterials on hides as well as decontaminating the hides to preventtransfer of microorganisms to the meat products, byproducts, andequipment.

In an aspect, the invention provides compositions comprising: (i) a mudball remover comprising a thioglycolate salt and a base and (ii) anantimicrobial agent, wherein the composition is effective to remove mudballs and reduce microbial contamination of a hide surface at ambienttemperature. In a further aspect, the invention relates to methods ofcleaning and decontaminating a surface of an animal carcass. The methodsinclude applying an aqueous composition of a mud ball remover comprisingat least one thioglycolate salt and at least one base combined with atleast one antimicrobial agent onto the surface of the animal carcass tocreate a treated animal carcass; allowing said composition to stay onthe treated animal carcass for an effective time to create a preparedanimal carcass; and mechanically agitating the prepared animal carcassto remove mud balls and other foreign materials from the surface of theprepared animal carcass to create a cleaned animal carcass.

It is an advantage of the invention to provide novel compositions andmethods to clean and decontaminate animal carcasses prior to hideremoval to produce safer meat products and maintain the integrity andquality of hide byproducts produced by the meat packing industry.

It is another advantage of the present invention to provide novelcompositions and methods to reduce the risk of cross-contamination ofbacterial populations including pathogens on equipment used by the meatpacking industry.

It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide novelcompositions and methods for cleaning animal hides using components thatare not harmful to humans.

It is yet another advantage of the present invention to provide improvedcompositions and methods for cleaning and decontaminating animalcarcasses that reduce costs and cross-contamination during meatprocessing.

An additional advantage of the invention is to provide compositions andmethods to clean and decontaminate animal carcasses within acommercially desirable timeframe while also preventingcross-contamination in meat processing facilities.

Yet another advantage of the invention is to provide compositions andmethods for cleaning and decontaminating animal carcasses whilepreventing damage to hides to result in higher quality finished leatherproducts.

A further advantage of the present invention is to provide low odor orodorless compositions for cleaning and decontaminating animal carcasses.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the detaileddescription. This summary is not intended to identify all key oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tolimit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 graphically illustrates the number of colony forming units ofaerobic bacteria present on animal hide surfaces that were treated usingthe compositions and methods of the invention.

FIG. 2 graphically illustrates the number of colony forming units ofSalmonella bacteria present on animal hide surfaces that were treatedusing the compositions and methods of the invention.

FIG. 3 graphically illustrates the number of colony forming units of E.coli bacteria present on animal hide surfaces that were treated usingthe compositions and methods of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unless herein defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms usedherein generally have the same meaning as commonly understood by one ofordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Thedefinitions herein described may or may not be used in capitalized aswell as singular or plural form herein and are intended to be used as aguide for one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the inventionand are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention.Mention of trade names or commercial products herein is solely for thepurpose of providing specific information or examples and does not implyrecommendation or endorsement of such products.

As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, thesingular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the pluralforms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

The term “animal” refers to any member of the kingdom Animalia which israised commercially and consumed as food by humans or animals, includingfor example, bovine, ovine, and porcine.

The term “consisting essentially of” excludes additional method steps orcomposition components that substantially interfere with the intendedactivity of the methods or compositions of the invention and can bereadily determined by those skilled in the art (e.g., from aconsideration of this specification or practice of the inventiondisclosed herein). This term may be substituted for inclusive terms suchas “comprising” or “including” to more narrowly define any of thedisclosed embodiments or combinations/sub-combinations thereof.Furthermore, the exclusive term “consisting” is also understood to besubstitutable for these inclusive terms in alternative forms of thedisclosed embodiments.

The term “effective amount” or “effective time” refers to such amount ortime as is capable of performing the function(s) of the compositions ormethods for which an effective amount or time is expressed. As ispointed out herein, the exact amount or time required may vary fromprocess to process, depending on recognized variables such as thecompounds employed and various internal and external conditions observedas would be interpreted by one of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, it isnot possible to specify an exact “effective amount” or “effective time”for every scenario though preferred ranges have been provided herein. Anappropriate effective amount or time may be determined, however, by oneof ordinary skill in the art using only routine experimentation.

The term “hide” refers to the integument of an animal and also includesthe hair layer thereon. The primary function of the integumentary layerwhile the animal is alive is to form a protective barrier to activelyprevent the penetration of foreign material to the interior of theanimal. Microorganisms are usually present in the hair and on thesurface of the integumentary layer as well as within mud balls. However,microorganisms are generally unable to penetrate into and through anundamaged intact living animal integumentary layer but can begin toenter shortly upon the death of the animal.

The term “mud ball” or “manure ball” refers to foreign materials thatare of variable consistency (e.g., soft, crumbly, pliable, sticky,pasty, adobe-type, etc.) including any one or more of mud, manure, plantmaterial, etc. that is stuck or imbedded in the hair/feet of an animaland remains on the carcass after the animal is stunned in preparationfor a slaughtering process.

The term “optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequentlydescribed event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that thedescription includes instances and embodiments in which said event orcircumstance occurs and instances and embodiments where it does not. Forexample, the phrase “optionally rinsing the treated animal carcass”means that the treated animal carcass may or may not be rinsed and thatthis description includes methods that contain and do not contain arinsing step.

The term “pathogen” refers to the microorganisms (e.g., bacteria,viruses, protozoa, etc.) that are of concern when present on animalcarcasses or surfaces thereof and which may be harmful to the productsor byproducts derived from such animal carcasses and responsible formicrobial food contamination posing a potential public safety threat aswell as possible harm to consumers of the products or byproducts.

The term “reduce microbial contamination” refers to reducing the numberof microorganisms and/or pathogens present on a surface of an animalcarcass to an acceptable level (in some cases eliminating) that preventscontamination of the underlying meat and/or consumer of such underlyingmeat.

The term “solution” refers to a composition in which all of theindicated ingredients are dissolved in the aqueous phase and excludesdispersions, for example, in which an indicated ingredient is present ina greater than saturation concentration whereby at least some of thisingredient is present as a dispersed solid. However, this term may notexclude non-dissolved non-indicated components such as when a solutionis recovered and reused/recycled in a process.

The term “surface” or “hide surface” refers to the outer portion of thehide (i.e., outer layer, section, or portion) of an animal carcass thatwould come into contact with the ambient environment or with a treatmentapplied to the animal carcass.

The present invention provides a cost and labor efficient way ofcleaning and processing animal carcasses as well as reducing risksassociated with microbial contamination. The compositions of theinvented formulations are capable of efficiently removing foreignmaterials from animal carcasses and simultaneously providingdecontamination of the outer surface of the carcass prior to meatprocessing for meat safety while simultaneously protecting the integrityof the animal hide and resulting finished leather goods as valuablebyproducts of the meat industry. Foreign materials such as mud/manureballs firmly attached to the hair of animal skin harboring microbialpathogens (e.g., Salmonella, Escherichia coli, other Enterobacteria, andrelated gram-negative bacilli, etc.) are removed with surprisingeffectiveness using the novel compositions and methods of this inventionto achieve a “deep clean” of the animal carcass surface. The inventionprovides novel compositions and methods to preserve the integrity andquality of meat processing industry products and byproducts byefficiently and effectively treating the animal carcasses beforedisassembly during the slaughtering process. The compositionsefficiently remove foreign debris and materials from animal carcasseswithin a commercially desired timeframe and also reduce microbialcontamination and cross-contamination of such products and equipmentused to process the products. Upon application onto animal carcasses,the inventive compositions and methods act to loosen foreign materialsand debris associated with the hide of the animal, including dirt, mud,manure, and microorganisms within such debris and on the hair or hide.The invention additionally provides methods for using the compositionsto minimize costs and environmental impact.

The compositions of the invention include an aqueous solution of (i) amud ball removal component comprising at least one thioglycolate saltand at least one base and (ii) at least one antibacterial agent. Thecomposition may optionally have one or more additional wetting agents toaid in dispersing the formulation and more effective cleaning. Eachcomponent is present in an effective amount to enable the composition toclean and decontaminate animal hides at ambient temperature within acommercially desirable timeframe. The thioglycolate salt component ispresent in an effective amount to aid in removing mud balls or othersolid, semi-solid, firm, gelled, etc. foreign materials at ambienttemperature in combination with an effective amount of the base whensubsequent mechanical removal methods are used as further describedherein. The antimicrobial component is present in an amount effective toreduce microbial contamination on the target animal hide and preventcross contamination of pathogens and other microorganisms from thehaired surface to the underlying meat within a processing facility.

The concentration of ingredients in the inventive compositions for usein the methods of the invention are set forth in Table 1 (ranges to beinterpreted as having “about” preceding the numbers and given in termsof wt %) to encompass various embodiments as described herein. The ratioof thioglycolate salt to base is preferably in the range of about 5:1 toabout 1:5, or from about 3:1 to about 1:3, or from about 2:1 to about1:2, or about 1:1.

TABLE 1 Ingredient Broadest Broad Intermediate Narrow Thioglycolate 2%to 10% 4% to 10% 6% to 10% 7.5% to 10% Salt Base 2% to 10% 4% to 10% 6%to 10% 7.5% to 10% Anti-Microbial 0.2% to 2% 0.4% to 2% 0.6% to 2% 0.75%to 1%

The thioglycolate salt and base components function in combination as amud ball remover to dissolve, disintegrate, remove, etc. cellulosic andother foreign materials from the surface of the animal carcass. Thesecomponents in the inventive composition cause the mud balls to softensurprisingly quickly for removal with minimal mechanical agitation.

Preferably, a salt of thioglycolic acid (e.g., potassium, sodium,calcium, or ammonium thioglycolate as well as combinations and otherthioglycolate salts) is used in the inventive composition. Not intendingto be theory bound, thioglycolate dissolves the disulphide bonds in thekeratin of the hair to release the mud balls or other foreign materialsfirmly attached to the haired hide surface of the animal carcass whilethe combination with a base increases the pH which helps in deliveringthioglycolate to the hair to effectuate the release. In embodiments,preferred thioglycolate salts are potassium, sodium, calcium, ammoniumthioglycolate salts, other salts thereof, and combinations thereof. Anywater-soluble salt of thioglycolic acid may be used.

The base component is added because it was discovered thioglycolatesalts in a high pH solution penetrate and soften the mud balls as wellas dissolve the keratin of the hair by which the foreign materials arefirmly attached on the surface of animal carcasses. This efficientsoftening action helps for quick loosening and removal of debris fromthe haired surface of the animal carcass. In embodiments, bases such asNaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)₂, NH₄OH, the like, or combinations thereof may beused. Stronger bases such as NaOH and KOH are generally preferred.

The foreign materials including mud/manure balls present on animalcarcasses harbor microbial contaminants that if allowed to remain on thecarcass cause unsafe and unsanitary conditions especially when the hideis removed, and the meat is processed at a later stage. To combat thiscontamination scenario, the inventive composition also includes awater-soluble antimicrobial or antibacterial component. A preferredantimicrobial agent used in the formulation is a water-solubleN-halamine (R1,R2—N—X), where R1 and R2 independently are selected from,for example, H, Cl, Br, inorganic group (e.g., phosphate, sulphate,etc.), or organic group (e.g., alkyl, aryl, carbonyl, etc.) and X isselected from, for example, Cl, Br, or I. N-halamines are a group ofcyclic or acyclic compounds containing one or more nitrogen-halogencovalent bonds normally formed by the halogenation of imide, amide, oramine groups, and typically exert biocidal activity because of theoxidation state of halide atoms (e.g., +1) in the molecule.Water-soluble N-halamines are in a salt form; however, not all saltforms are water-soluble and such forms would not be used in theinventive compositions. N-halamine also exhibits long-term stability inaqueous solutions and is effective against a broad spectrum ofmicroorganisms. In addition, N-halamine compounds are less corrosivethan inorganic chlorine-containing formulations such as bleach, haveacceptable levels of toxicity, economically viable, considered safe forhumans, and environmentally friendly (see e.g., Int. J Hyg.Environ.-Health, 2006, 209, 173-181; Biomacromolecules, 2013, 14,548-601; Journal of Food Protoection, 2003, 66(9), 1697-1700. FoodControl, 2018, 84 255-262; Critical Reviews in Environ. Sci. andTechol., 1988, 18(2), 133-175). For the present invention, sodiumdichloroisocyanurate dihydrate is an example of a preferred N-halaminecompound that is highly water-soluble. Preferred antimicrobial agentsalso include water-soluble antimicrobials such as alkyltrimethylammoniumbromide (ATMB), chlorhexidine digluconate (CDG), benzalkonium chloride(BAC), N-halamines, and combinations thereof. Incorporating one or moreof these antimicrobial components significantly reduces the microbialcontamination from the haired surface of hides especially when used inaqueous-based washing solution at low concentrations to avoidcross-contamination of microorganism from the haired surface of thecarcass to underlying meat and/or equipment in the facility. In apreferred embodiment, a unique composition of potassium thioglycolateplus sodium hydroxide plus a specific water-soluble halamine is used todevelop the final formulation.

To clean animal carcasses for meat safety and byproduct quality, anaqueous-based formulation of the inventive composition herein disclosedis used. Aqueous-based formulations generally are relatively cheaper incomparison to organic formulations and also more environmentallyfriendly. To develop the aqueous-based formulation of the invention itis necessary for all the components to be soluble in water individuallyor in combined composition, otherwise additional components suchsurfactants or emulsifying agents would need to be incorporated tosolubilize the inventive components. Combined compositions such aspotassium thioglycolate, sodium hydroxide, and water-soluble halamine(e.g., sodium dichloroisocyanurate dehydrate) gives the inventiveformulation a unique aqueous solubility characteristic. This novelformulation is found to be effective in a dual action capacity,loosening and removing mud/manure balls or foreign materials from thecarcass surface and also simultaneously decontaminating it in acommercially preferred time frame. Another surprising and unexpectedadvantage of this inventive composition is individually potassiumthioglycolate and sodium dichloroisocyanurate dehydrate have a pungentodor but when they are combined the formulation become essentiallyodorless (e.g., low odor, very low odor, very mild odor, or odorless).

In embodiments, a concentrated form or solid/powder form containing allof the ingredients of the inventive composition for use in a meatpacking facility could be made in the same relative proportions and bemade up in bulk, packaged in suitable containers, stored, shipped, andthen diluted and/or dissolved with a suitable amount of water (e.g., theconcentrate may also be packaged with dilution or dissolutioninstructions) before use. Any source of water approved for use at aspecific facility may be utilized that is available at the point of use,including raw, tap, filtered, recycled, the like, and combinationsthereof. Furthermore, the invention also provides kits which are usefulfor carrying out methods of the present invention. The kit includes acontainer comprising compositions of the present invention andinstructions for using the compositions for the purposes hereindisclosed. The kits may comprise a first container means containing thecompositions described herein. The kit can also comprise other containermeans having one or more solutions, diluents, or applicators necessaryor convenient for carrying out the invention. The container means can bemade of glass, plastic, foil, the like, and combinations thereof and canbe any suitable vial, bottle, pouch, tube, bag, box, sachet, etc. Thekit can also contain written information, such as procedures forcarrying out the present invention or analytical information, such asthe amount of reagent contained in the first container means. Thecontainer means can be in another container means (e.g., a box, bag,etc.) along with the written information. The inventive compositionwould be provided in a container that would preserve its integrity untiluse. The container could be opened and poured into the correctpre-measured amount of an aqueous diluent. Alternatively, the containertype is selected from a variety of materials, such as biodegradable orbio-based plastic. In another example, the container is water-solubleand could dropped into a pre-measured amount of water to achieve anaqueous composition having the desired concentration.

Though any application technique could be used to apply the disclosedcomposition to an animal carcass, it is preferred that the inventivecomposition is sprayed onto surfaces of animal carcasses prior toevisceration and allowed to react with foreign materials such as mudballs for an effective time period for the mud balls to loosen andsoften for ease of removal. In alternative embodiments, any suitableapplication technique can be used for applying the inventive compositionincluding spraying (e.g., direct spraying, misting, immersion, fogging,etc.), curtain coating, wetting, soaking, and the like. The amount ofthe composition applied to the hide surface is typically from about 10mL to about 100 mL, or from about 20 mL to about 75 mL, or from about 25mL to about 50 mL per square foot of hide surface and is adjusted by askilled artisan depending on the amount of debris and severity ofmud/manure balls present on the hide surface.

The composition preferably remains on the surface of the carcass for aneffective time to penetrate mud balls and inactive microorganisms toreduce microbial contamination. Regardless of the particular applicationtechnique used, the contact time during which the composition of theinvention remains in contact with the carcass being treated is typicallyfor about 1 to about 20 minutes, or from 1 to about 15 minutes, or from2 to about 15 minutes, or from about 2 to about 10 minutes, or fromabout 3 to about 10 minutes, or form about 4 to about 10 minutes, orfrom about 5 to about 8 minutes and is adjusted by a skilled artisandepending on the amount of debris and severity of mud/manure ballspresent on the hide surface. In embodiments, the exposure time periodcan be adjusted by changing the concentration of the formulation and adetermination of concentration and reaction time is slaughter housedependent. These parameters may be adjusted and optimized by a skilledartisan.

After sufficient exposure to the inventive composition, foreignmaterials including mud/manure balls can be removed from the animalcarcass with mechanical agitation (e.g., soft brushing, wiping,scraping, pressure washing, etc.) and the carcass can be rinsed withwater or other washing agent to remove any residual chemicals beforeremoving the hide for further meat processing. The developed compositionof the invention allows mud balls to be wiped off of a hide surface withminimal mechanical agitation after a surprisingly short amount ofexposure to the composition at ambient temperature (e.g., anytemperature encountered at a meat processing facility year-round). Itshould be appreciated that the composition may also be heated prior toapplication but is desired to be applied at ambient temperature toconserve energy.

In embodiments, mechanical agitation includes any means in the art suchas brushing (e.g., soft, medium, or hard bristle), scraping, wiping,shaving, pressure washing, etc. A preferred mechanical agitation methodis using a soft brush to preserve the quality of the hide and make themechanical agitation process less labor-intensive. After dispensing theinventive formulation and allowing it on the hide surface for a certainperiod, the foreign materials and mud/manure balls are wiped off fromthe haired surface of hide with brushing or by any other mechanicalmeans such as controlled pressure washing which is suitable for cleaningbut not piercing or damaging the hide.

In embodiments, the methods include applying the disclosed inventivecomposition to the animal carcass and leaving said composition on thecarcass for an effective time. Mechanical agitation as herein describedis then applied to remove softened and loosened foreign debris includingmud/manure balls from the hide surface. The treated carcass isoptionally rinsed (e.g., with potable water or other washing agent) ifdesired to remove any residual composition. It is generally desirable torinse the treated hide with water at the post-treatment stage to removeresidual water-soluble chemicals in the inventive formulation and theremaining foreign materials from the carcass surface prior to removal ofhide from the animal carcass and subsequent meat processing.

In embodiments, the methods of the invention also includerecycling/reusing of the formulation as it runs off of the animalcarcass after application. The recycling process includes the collectionof excess formulation at the treatment stage and run off rinsing waterat the post-treatment stage. The collected used formulation is then sentthrough any suitable filtration process. The two collections (i.e.,applied formulation and rinse water) can be treated separately orcombined for their adjustment of the active ingredients of the inventivecomposition based on the feasibility level of the particular location asdetermined by a skilled artisan. The adjustment process of the recyclingsolutions to be reused can be determined upon experimental data derivedfrom samples taken at the time of recycling and individual operationparameters for a specific facility.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forththe broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numericalvalues set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely aspossible. Any numerical values, however, inherently contain certainerrors necessarily resulting from error found in their respectivemeasurement. The following examples are intended only to furtherillustrate the invention and are not intended in any way to limit thescope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Example 1

Aqueous formulations tested are shown in Table 2 in terms of wt % foreach component.

TABLE 2 Formulation Composition X1: Low concentration removal solution2.5% NaOH + 2.5% K-thioglycolate X2: Medium concentration removalsolution 5% NaOH + 5% K-thioglycolate X3: High concentration removalsolution 7.5% NaOH + 7.5% K-thioglycolate Y: Anti-Microbial solution0.75% sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate

Formulations from Table 2 were sprayed on bovine hide samples with mudballs naturally attached. After 5 or 8 minutes hide samples were brushedto wipe off the external debris from the hide surface using a softbrush. The tested formulations were effective to quickly convert the mudballs to a state to enable removal by using only a soft bristle brush.

The individual chemicals (K-thioglycolate, sodium dichloroisocyanuratedihydrate) used for this inventive formulation of the example havepungent odors. These odors generally present limitations for using themindividually in different steps of the operation in meat processingfacilities. However, the combined formulation is surprisingly andunexpectedly essentially odorless which makes it suitable for use insuch facilities as a cleaning and decontamination agent on animalcarcasses to remove/reduce foreign materials as well as microorganismsfrom the hide surface prior to slaughter.

Analysis for Microbial Recovery. After brushing the treated samplepanels to get rid of the foreign debris and mud balls, a 10 in×5 insurface area was independently swabbed with a sterile sponge and placedinto a corresponding sampling bag with 25 ml of buffered peptone waterfor analysis (Nasco Meat and Turkey Carcass Sampling Kit, Salida, CA).The sample bags were then hand massaged for about 2 min. Samples wereserially diluted and spread-plated on Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA),Xylose-Lysine-Tergitol 4 (XLT-4) Agar, Sorbitol MacConkey Agar, withCefixime and Tellurite (CT-SMAC) for aerobic bacteria, Salmonella and E.coli counts, respectively (all agar was obtained from Fisher Scientific,Pittsburg, PA). After spread plating, samples were incubated for 24hours at 37° C. and bacterial colonies were enumerated for bacterialrecovery with the lowest detection level at 1 CFU per 10 in×5in area.Results are shown graphically in FIG. 1 for aerobic bacteria, FIG. 2 forSalmonella, and FIG. 3 for E. coli counts.

These results indicate that with a treatment which exposes a hideheavily covered in mud balls to a composition of the present inventionfor 8 minutes, aerobic bacteria were eliminated. Exposures of 5 minutesresult in an approximately 5.87 log CFU reduction of aerobic bacteria ascompared to a water wash only. For Salmonella, an approximately 3 logCFU reduction is attained at both at 5 and 8 minutes. Similarly for E.coli, 1.4 and 3.6 log CFU reductions are observed at 5 and 8 minutesrespectively. These results are quite surprising and unexpected undersuch low exposure times at room temperature (e.g., 22° C. to 25° C.).

While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there aredescribed in detail herein specific preferred embodiments of theinvention. The present disclosure is an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the particular embodiments illustrated. All patents, patentapplications, scientific papers, and any other referenced materialsmentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety,including any materials cited within such referenced materials.Furthermore, the invention encompasses any possible combination of someor all of the various embodiments and characteristics described hereinand/or incorporated herein. In addition, the invention encompasses anypossible combination that also specifically excludes any one or some ofthe various embodiments and characteristics described herein and/orincorporated herein.

The amounts, percentages and ranges disclosed herein are not meant to belimiting, and increments between the recited amounts, percentages andranges are specifically envisioned as part of the invention. All rangesand parameters disclosed herein are understood to encompass any and allsubranges subsumed therein, and every number between the endpoints. Forexample, a stated range of “1 to 10” should be considered to include anyand all subranges between (and inclusive of) the minimum value of 1 andthe maximum value of 10 including all integer values and decimal values;that is, all subranges beginning with a minimum value of 1 or more,(e.g., 1 to 6.1), and ending with a maximum value of 10 or less, (e.g.2.3 to 9.4, 3 to 8, 4 to 7), and finally to each number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 contained within the range.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities ofingredients, properties such as molecular weight, reaction conditions,and so forth as used in the specification and claims are to beunderstood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.”Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical properties setforth in the following specification and claims are approximations thatmay vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained inembodiments of the present invention. As used herein, the term “about”refers to a quantity, level, value, or amount that varies by as much as30%, preferably by as much as 20%, and more preferably by as much as 10%to a reference quantity, level, value, or amount.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from a consideration of this specification or practice of theinvention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification andexamples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spiritof the invention being indicated by the following claims. Although anymethods and materials similar or equivalent to those described hereincan be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, thepreferred methods and materials are herein described. Those skilled inthe art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodimentsdescribed herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by theclaims attached hereto.

The claimed invention is:
 1. A composition comprising: (i) a mud ballremover comprising at least one thioglycolate salt and at least onealkaline base; and (ii) at least one antimicrobial agent, wherein the atleast one antimicrobial agent is water soluble and selected from thegroup consisting of: alkyltrimethylammonium bromide, chlorhexidinedigluconate, N-halamines, and combinations thereof, and wherein thecomposition is effective to remove mud balls and reduce contamination ofa hide surface at ambient temperature.
 2. The composition of claim 1,wherein the at least one thioglycolate salt component of the mud ballremover is selected from the group consisting of: potassiumthioglycolate, sodium thioglycolate, calcium thioglycolate, ammoniumthioglycolate, and combinations thereof.
 3. The composition of claim 1,wherein the at least one thioglycolate salt is present in an amountranging from about 2 to about 10 in terms of wt %.
 4. The composition ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one alkaline base of the mud ball removeris selected from the group consisting of: NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)₂, NH₄OH, andcombinations thereof.
 5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the atleast alkaline base is present in an amount ranging from about 2 toabout 10 in terms of wt %.
 6. The composition of claim 1, wherein aratio of the at least one thioglycolate salt to the at least onealkaline base is from about 5:1 to about 1:5.
 7. The composition ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one antimicrobial agent is present in anamount ranging from about 0.2 to about 2.0 in terms of wt %.
 8. Thecomposition of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the at least onethioglycolate salt to the at least one alkaline base is about 1:1, andwherein the composition is essentially odorless.
 9. A compositioncomprising: (i) a mud ball remover comprising at least one thioglycolatesalt and at least one alkaline base; and (ii) at least one antimicrobialagent, wherein the at least one antimicrobial agent is water soluble andincludes at least one N-halamine, and wherein the composition iseffective to remove mud balls and reduce contamination of a hide surfaceat ambient temperature.
 10. The composition of claim 9, wherein the atleast one antimicrobial agent includes sodium dichloroisocyanuratedihydrate.
 11. The composition of claim 9, wherein the at least onethioglycolate salt component of the mud ball remover is selected fromthe group consisting of: potassium thioglycolate, sodium thioglycolate,calcium thioglycolate, ammonium thioglycolate, and combinations thereof.12. The composition of claim 9, wherein the at least one thioglycolatesalt component of the mud ball remover includes potassium thioglycolate,and wherein the at least one antimicrobial agent includes sodiumdichloroisocyanurate dihydrate.
 13. The composition of claim 9, whereinthe at least one alkaline base of the mud ball remover is selected fromthe group consisting of: NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)₂, NH₄OH, and combinationsthereof.
 14. The composition of claim 9, wherein the at least onethioglycolate salt component of the mud ball remover includes potassiumthioglycolate, wherein the at least one alkaline base of the mud ballremover is selected from the group consisting of: NaOH, KOH, andcombinations thereof, and wherein the at least one antimicrobial agentincludes sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate.
 15. The composition ofclaim 9 wherein a ratio of the at least one thioglycolate salt to the atleast one alkaline base is about 1:1, and wherein the composition isessentially odorless.
 16. A method of cleaning and decontaminating asurface of an animal carcass, the method comprising: applying thecomposition of claim 9 onto the surface of the animal carcass to createa treated animal carcass; allowing said composition to stay on thetreated animal carcass for an effective time to create a prepared animalcarcass; and mechanically agitating the prepared animal carcass toremove mud balls and other foreign materials from the surface of theprepared animal carcass to create a cleaned and decontaminated animalcarcass.
 17. A kit for carrying out the method of claim 16, the kitcomprising a first container means containing the composition;optionally other container means comprising a solution, diluent, orapplicator for the compound; and written information includingprocedures for applying the composition.